Welcome to Mr. McMaster’s 7 th Grade Science Class

About Mr. McMaster  This is technically my second year teaching  Taught 7 th grade science the last half of the year at Centennial.  Student taught 7 th grade science at Akimel the first half of last year.  ASU and BYU-Hawaii Alum  Bachelors degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Health and Wellness.  Masters degree is in Elementary Education.

About Mr. McMaster  My wife, Caitlin, and I have been married for three years.  We have a baby girl, Margaret, whom we call Maggie. She is now 11 months old.  I love being outside, either playing sports or camping with my fishing pole.  My dad and myself have been camping every summer for 22 years.  I have played in leagues and made money for ultimate frisbee and dodgeball.  I had a full ride scholarship to run cross country at BYU-Hawaii.

7 th Grade Curriculum Microbiology Scientific Method/ lab safety review How to convert within the metric system Germ Theory Virus vs. Bacteria Characteristics, structure and function of micro-organisms Ecology Food chains, food webs, predator/prey relationships Limiting factors and carrying capacity Human interaction in the environment: Invasive Species Astronomy Moon phases, moon tides Lunar and solar eclipses Seasons, major constellations Structure of the sun and universe Geology (Rocks and Minerals) Properties of rocks and minerals and rock cycle Layers of the Earth Rock and Fossil Record Lithospheric movement due to convection Earth landforms: mountains, volcanoes, valleys Earthquake detection and measurement

How We Learn the 7 th Grade Curriculum  Hands-on Activities and Labs  Group Work, Partner Work, Individual Work, Class Collaboration  Science Notebook  Interdisciplinary Work (math, social studies, language arts, etc)  Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum  Reading Skills from researching throughout the year.  Writing Skills from lab write ups and essays.

Materials Needed  2 composition books/notebooks (2 should cover entire year)  And/or 1” binder with plenty of loose leaf notebook paper  Writing instruments (many pencils; colorful pens)  Colored highlighters (yellow, pink, blue, green)  Coloring utensils (colored pencils, crayons, markers)  Scissors (optional)  glue sticks (optional)

 My goal is to have all students increase their appreciation and knowledge of science through hands-on learning, the way science is supposed to be learned.  Expectations of students:  Students are expected to be on time  Students are expected to be prepared for class.  Students are expected to master all objectives.  Students are expected to turn in assignments on time and are expected to be prepared for tests.  Students are expected to follow all class and school policies outlined in the student handbook. My Goal and Expectations

Grades A= 90%-100% B= 80%-89% C= 70%-79% D= 60%-69% F= 50%-59% LA = Late AB = Absent MI = Missing  Assessment (tests, quizzes, projects, labs) =80%  Classwork/practice work =20% Grade Weight

Practice Work (Homework)  Practice work includes reviewing concepts, notes, and objectives  Practice work load will vary from week to week, which could mean it is on one night or multiple nights.  Students may turn in assignments late for full credit, but it will be through the school policy of the lunch homework club.  Practice work that is not turned in by the test, will be counted as 50% and missing. Late Work

Absences  Participation is essential in science.  Students cannot take lab materials home with them, therefore missed labs may require alternative assessment or complete on their own time.  Students are given an equal number of days to their absences to complete make-up work.  It is the student’s responsibility to obtain make-up work from the website, a classmate, or the calendar and folder in class.

Classroom Wish List  Straws  Clorox Wipes  Plastic baggies (quart or gallon)  Glue sticks  Colored pencils or markers  Composition notebooks  Colored sticky notes  Scissors  Graphing paper

Contact Information (480) Thank you!